Eco Homes

Keep them small, heat them with the sun, insulate properly, use energy efficiently, conserve water and give careful consideration to the materials employed. These are some of the general guidelines to build eco homes.

The way we plan, design and build our homes can play an important role in environmental preservation. Our homes are huge sources of emissions because of the amount of electricity they consume. The materials used to build a house also have an impact on the planet. But much of the impact can be lessened if we opt for a greener way to build and choose to live in eco homes.

In general, building a house that is environmentally sound means using natural materials of certified origin or employed second hand materials. Eco homes should be powered with renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind and geothermal. Waste disposal is also taken into account as is insulation. Eco homes should include rain capture systems and tend to be more restrained in terms of building area.

The latter recommendation is epitomized by so-called �earth houses�. This type of eco home is built into the ground and uses the terrain to form the walls of a house. Currently, they are often built with concrete walls and insulation. However, earth houses may be somewhat cave-like to some people�s tastes and there are issues with lighting and mould. Some of them look quite stunning, though.

Those looking for an even bolder type of eco building, with strong emphasis on recycling and sharp architectural style, Earthship.com is a good place to start. The website defines an Earthship as a �radically sustainable home made of recycled materials� that adhere to some green building principles related to electricity, sewage, water, heating, cooling and food. They can be built in any climate, it says.